Yosemite Forum

Travelling to and visiting Yosemite National Park in Winter and most of Spring, when snow is on the ground. Includes visiting in winter, snow play, downhill and nordic skiing, ice skating, snowshoeing, and snow camping.

Coming to the park in a couple weeks for the first time, and I am wondering how hard it will be to get a spot in Camp 4. (Fills by 9am? Fills by noon? Doesn't fill?) We are happy to sleep in a tent on the snow and carry our gear on our backs. We have a reservation under a roof as a backup, but I'd rather save some money and camp out.

Camp4 is really not hard to get into. I drove out there a couple of years ago and camp4 was full. We stayed a night in housekeeping for 30 bucks an then got up at the crack of morning and got a spot at camp4.

We were already in the valley when you posted your reply! Not knowing what to expect, we planned on staying under a roof.

For what it is worth, the volunteer we spoke with at the visitor center said that in the winter Camp 4 only fills up on holiday weekends and there are always empty campsites somewhere in the park this time of year. It sounds like you can always throw a tent in the car and head for the park in February and be ok.

That said, it was cold and rainy, which is the worst time to be in a tent. If there is precip, 20 degrees is always better than 40 degrees.